The announcement of a partnership between crypto exchange Bitget and motorsport giants MotoGP for the 2025 season is far more than a marketing move. It’s a meticulously aligned strategic alliance between two worlds defined by speed, calculated risk, and cutting-edge technology. During extensive interviews, the architects of this deal, Bitget CEO Gracy Chen and MotoGP CCO Dan Rossomondo, pulled back the curtain to reveal the intricate framework of their collaboration, their candid expectations, and the diverging timelines that will define their shared future.
This is not just about placing a logo on a racetrack. It’s a symbiotic pact designed for a two-way exchange of value. Bitget seeks to capture the hearts and minds of a passionate global fanbase, while MotoGP looks to learn from a Web3 native to understand the next generation of consumers.
The Core Philosophy: A Symphony of Shared Values
At its heart, the partnership is built on a profound sense of shared identity. Gracy Chen of Bitget immediately points to a quartet of core tenets that bind the two entities.
“I would say there are actually lots of similarities we share,” Chen began. “In my speech, I’m going to talk about the 4S’: Skill, Smarts, Speed, and Strategy. Yeah, so that’s the kind of collaboration that we see. And by the way, you probably know that Bitget is not unfamiliar with partnering with sports giants. We’ve already worked with Juventus… and Leo Messi.“
For MotoGP, the decision to embrace a crypto partner now stems from a recognition that the digital asset space is entering a new phase of maturity and influence. Dan Rossomondo sees it as an unmissable opportunity.
“From our standpoint, crypto, Web3, whichever you might want to refer toit, is going through this renaissance again, right?” Rossomondo mused. “We can’t ignore it. There are so many people, I think Gracy mentioned Gen Z, that are involved and curious in it. We think that [Bitget] can teach us so much about what this next generation consumer is doing, how they’re interacting with finances, how they’re interacting with data.“
When asked to distill the synergy of their partnership into a single most important shared value, their responses, though distinct, collectively painted a complete picture. Chen emphasized the raw, human element of community.
“If we build an engaging community for both the crypto and sports fan bases, that’s key,” she explained. “Crypto, as you know, is a very engaging community. And as you see today, there are lots of passionate fans here, right? Just like the VIPs or ticket holders, and also regular people, fans who are willing to set up tents and even live here in this hot weather… that’s what I see: immense passion and engagement from this community.”
Rossomondo, in his trademark flair, identified a more cerebral, data-driven connection: “Informed decision-making.”
“I think that’s a really important thing that they want their traders to have informed, big informed decisions,” he detailed. “And our riders are ingesting—they do it very rapidly—but they’re ingesting so much data… whether they’re on the track, and how they’re reacting to things, and they have to make informed decisions. And I think that’s truly a shared value.“
The Strategic Blueprint: A Regional Strike with a Legendary Ambassador
The partnership’s execution is as precise as a rider hitting an apex. It’s a regional strategy focused on four key markets: Italy, Germany, Spain, and Indonesia. Chen explained the logic behind this geographical focus.
“The main issues are, where we see lots of users, growth opportunities,” she stated. “These are more of, like, developing regions, and still, a lot of crypto communities are there that we probably haven’t tapped into.“
She even highlighted the clever logistical planning involved, tying the Indonesian leg of the partnership to a major industry event. “The Indonesia event is right after one of the largest crypto conferences in Singapore, Token2049. So there will be plenty of partners flying from Singapore directly to Indonesia.“
Adding star power to this strategic push is MotoGP legend Jorge Lorenzo. Chen described his role as a vital bridge between worlds, chosen for both his legacy and his character.
“Jorge, because he’s retired from MotoGP, but he’s still very young and energetic, and we see lots of resilience, good track record and good quality of him as a person in general,” Chen said. “He still wants to be very involved with the community… and even get to know our crypto community a bit more. So I’m more than happy to introduce him to our community, obviously, and hopefully he can introduce me to the motorbike community.“
The Phased Rollout: From Brand Image to a Full Web3 Ecosystem
The two leaders were in complete agreement regarding the structured rollout of their partnership, emphasizing that it will progress through clearly defined stages. Their immediate and concerted effort for the year 2025 is squarely aimed at cultivating foundational brand awareness.
Chen provided further insight, explaining that “the initial launch is still predominantly focused on establishing the brand image and other related perceptions.” Rossomondo echoed this sentiment, concurring that “in this first couple of years,” the paramount objective for their collaborators is to achieve significant exposure to their existing audience. This strategic approach highlights a deliberate, phased development, prioritizing initial recognition before moving on to deeper engagement or broader market penetration.
However, the future holds the promise of much deeper integration. When questioned about the possibility of NFTs, fan tokens, or a Bitget-powered payment system within the MotoGP world, both confirmed it’s on the horizon.
“Okay, so those things are in discussion,” Chen revealed. “I’m going to meet our partners at MotoGP and discuss those things in detail. I think those are all doable, especially the payment system, although it’s not finalized yet.“
Rossomondo echoed this sentiment, signaling a clear willingness to collaborate on future Web3 initiatives. “If they can come to us and we can work together on a fan token or a crypto wallet or a credit card, we’ll definitely talk to them about that,” he affirmed. “It’s just a matter of the right model and the right investment levels on both sides.“
Gauging Success and Navigating Risk
In a market sector that has seen its share of volatility and failed sports sponsorships, MotoGP’s confidence in Bitget was hard-won. Rossomondo was candid about their due diligence process.
“You have to, obviously, understand what’s going on and trends in the world. And you know, we’ve seen that,” he acknowledged. “This deal came together over a long period of time, so it was a lot of wooing… I can’t worry about what the crypto technologies have done with other sports. I worry about our business and our partners, and we’re very comfortable with Bitget as a partner.“
Success for this first year will be measured through a blend of metrics. For Rossomondo, it’s about Bitget successfully “drafting off our audience” and, for MotoGP, “raising awareness inside of our fandom about this technology.”
Chen has her eye on similar KPIs, like the number of VIPs engaged, but is also looking for less tangible results. “I look into more things than numbers, more like qualitative feedbacks… how do those people feel?” she pondered, before adding a personal goal: “I do want to see if maybe we can engage more of the riders, where they become a BGB holder and a Bitget user. I think that would be fun and really engaging.“
The Long View: A “Dating Process” or a Long-Term Marriage?
Perhaps the most revealing part of the conversation was the long-term vision, where a fascinating contrast in tone emerged. Gracy Chen, leading a fast-moving company in a dynamic industry, presented a pragmatic, data-driven view.
“This partnership is for two years,” she stated directly. “As for 2026, I would say we, want to expand to more races, you know, do annual planning for our marketing expenditures and see how we can build upon how works out… We’ve just kicked off our dating progress and let’s see how it goes from here.“
Dan Rossomondo, representing a century-old institution built on lasting relationships, projected a vision of permanence.
“We are in the long-term partnership business,” he stated firmly. “If you look in our paddock, there’s a lot of people who have been in our paddock for a long time. That’s what we want to continue to do. So when we enter into a partnership, we do so with wanting it to continue for a long time and be fruitful on both sides. I’m excited that we’re starting.“
This dynamic forms the core tension and ultimate narrative of this collaboration. Bitget is approaching the relationship with strategic caution, eager to meticulously analyze the data. Meanwhile, MotoGP is extending a confident welcome, signaling its clear desire for a new, enduring member of its exclusive family. With the partnership running through 2026 with an option to extend to the 2027 season, the 2025 season will serve as a crucial proving ground, where this high-speed “dating process” will determine if it can indeed evolve into a lasting marriage of Web3 and motor racing, benefiting both parties for years to come.